This invention broadly relates to a new cover assembly for use with internal combustion engines, and method associated therewith.
In the past, the common technique of achieving air/oil separation in an engine cover was to utilize an assembly of metallic components inside the cover to direct the air/oil mixture through a passageway. The passageway was designed to allow the oil to condense out of the air/oil vapor, through the system of metallic components, and then permitting the oil to drain back into the engine. The past design for such an air/oil separation system included the following: (a) sheet metal or die cast metal baffle plates were attached to the inside of the valve covers with a multitude of fasteners, rivets or the like. In addition, the prior design technology required sealants between the cover and the metal baffle plates to improve the efficiency of the air/oil separation. (b) Plastic baffle plates were also sometimes utilized and were attached to the inside of the covers with fasteners, adhesives, sealants, staking operations, or by ultrasonic or vibration welding methods. (c) Also, a combination of the above assembly techniques referred to in a) and b) were used, followed by attachment to the inside of the valve cover itself.
The above described methods of designing or constructing such valve covers were highly undesirable for the following reasons: 1) The assembly of the components used in the past added to the complexity of the cover assembly, thereby adding significant unnecessary cost. The added cost associated therewith can be broken down into the cost of designing those components, the cost for tooling those components, purchasing, quality control, and the required inventory of components; and most importantly, the labor cost to assemble those components in prior engine covers. 2) The integrity of the system was also dependent upon the robustness of the assembly. The potential for the assembly to separate from the cover under the operating conditions of the engine (for the life of the vehicle) did exist. Such a separation would potentially cause engine damage or engine failure. 3) The assembly of components in such prior covers does not add to the structural integrity of the cover in its intended functional usage in the automotive engine environment.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to overcome the disadvantages and problems associated with prior engine cover assemblies as described above.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel valve cover product for internal combustion engines which is economical to produce, lightweight, strong, and highly advantageous in actual usage conditions on an internal combustion engine.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.